


Not Like The Others

by Sharyrazade



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World
Genre: Awkward Crush, Awkwardness, Canon Compliant, Childhood Friends, Colette is 20, F/M, Fantasizing, Fantastic Racism, First Kiss, Genis is a late 15, Genis' language is a little salty but he's a teenage boy what do you expect?, Interracial By Fantasy Standards, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Post-Canon, Puberty, Romantic Friendship, Unrequited Lust
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-24
Updated: 2017-02-24
Packaged: 2018-09-25 08:07:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9810680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sharyrazade/pseuds/Sharyrazade
Summary: Being a teenage boy is never exactly easy. But being a fifteen-year old boy while gradually coming to see the innocently-charming girl you grew up with as a stunning angel of a woman however, can be an absolute nightmare, only complicated by the lingering resentment you feel for humans.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by something I'd wondered for a while about with teenage Genis and was disappointed that fandom showed little-to-no interest in the possibilities behind it.
> 
> BTW, just for the sake of atmosphere, put on "A Wood Carving Star" from the OST, either on a loop or an extended version on Youtube.

One of the worst parts about being a teenage boy raised by one's sister is the almost complete lack of male role models-slash-confidants, particularly when it came to matters of becoming a man, something Genis Sage knew all too well. Even with the "benefit" of Raine's very technical and mechanical descriptions of the process, all the book knowledge in the world possessed by a fifteen-year old prodigy did not really help him navigate these stormy emotional and psychological waters, insult to injury added by his few potential sources of older male advice whom he could even conceive of asking: One of them, while extremely knowledgeable and literally ancient, was literally as well, light-years away by now, Regal's workload had only increased since the business with the Vanguard, Lloyd, he had no idea where the hell he was and often would not for weeks, if not months on end and Genis would sooner request cooking classes from his sister than go to Zelos for advice in this area.

With dwarves not really applicable to his current situation, Genis knew that really left one older male, Frank, with whom he was familiar with and comfortable enough to even entertain discussing this kind of thing, and this was....complicated by something very important, or rather, someone very important. As Genis lazed about on the loveseat on Dirk and Lloyd's veranda, gazing pensively at the moon and stars, he shot upright as he heard the door creak open, abruptly being joined by the young woman complicating his situation greatly.

"So, what did he say?" the young man asked gingerly.

Colette smiled tiredly. "He said he doesn't know." she reported sadly. "While Dirk and Altessa are sure the Rune Crest will keep it under control, both of them say they won't try to remove it; it would just be too dangerous."

"Wow, that sucks. I'm so sorry, Colette."

"I guess it kind of figures that this kind of thing would adapt more and more to my body. It is still an Exsphere, after all. Lloyd and Sheena; those two are so sweet, aren't they? They're going literally to the ends of the world to try and find a way to fix this."

One of the things which Genis hated most was to see his friends in pain, this particular one most of all. As the blonde gently linked her hand with his, Genis felt his heart skip a beat. _What does she mean by that? Is it just friendly, or is there something else behind it?_ As of late, whenever Genis would interact with this friend, such thoughts swirled endlessly in his head, much like when he slept. He was not exactly a prolific dreamer, but Genis could discern very distinct patterns behind said dreams: Dreams about his mother? Nostalgic and melancholy. Dreams about Mithos? Guilty and regretful. Dreams about the Desians? Angry and shameful. Dreams about humans in general? Resentful, angry, but still somehow patient. Dreams about Colette however? _Good._ Always _very very good._

Colette had always been cute. Everyone knew that. But as of late, Genis noticed this nigh-imperceptible change in his old friend. Imperceptible until it finally struck him like the time Lloyd lost control of one of his wooden practice swords while he slept. It was not so much a physical change (something countless, not-exactly-wholesome stolen glances told him; although he'd only noticed recently just how nice the blonde's legs and hips were), but one in her subtle mannerisms, Gone was the awkward, self-conscious, literal-human-sacrifice of a girl always second-guessing herself. No, while she did not exactly flaunt it, just something about Colette's body language, how she carried herself, told Genis that this girl had grown into a worldly, self-confident (never arrogant!) woman who knew what she wanted from her life. And even to a mind (among other things) driven wild with assorted hormones, as far as the young man was concerned, there was nothing sexier than that confidence. But even so, Genis could see how that hidden vulnerability in a mate Lloyd confided to him about could be attractive as well.

"I'll do it." he said confidently. "I'll dedicate my life to it. No matter how long it takes me, even if it takes me my whole life, I'll find a way to free you from that thing!"

Colette smiled wistfully at her friend. "Thank you, Genis, but please, don't do that." she pled gently. "I know this sounds so horribly selfish given what we know about Exspheres, but even though I'm breaking my promise to Lloyd, I'm still kind of...relieved."

"Hmm, how so?"

"You know they say I had this in my hand when I was born? Even if it isn't exactly true, it feels like just as much a part of me as my eyes or heart. Even though I feel like such a freak sometimes when people notice it."

"No, don't say that! If they can see the Chosen or your crystal, but can't or won't see the woman behind it, THEY'RE the ones who are wrong!"

 

 _Friggin' humans, always thinking they know everything. Makes me sick_ , Genis found himself thinking reflexively and harshly. Even for all Lloyd's idealism and insistence to the contrary, for all the shabby treatment he and Raine had received for purely for breathing "their" air from them and the very peculiar age at which he found himself, it was unsurprising that he would still hold onto at least a little resentment for his father's people as a group, even if he knew intellectually it was wrong to do so. How had he liked it when those same humans held him responsible for the Desians' crimes? Indeed, Raine's admonition to, _Remember Genis, we're not like them. We're different,_ sat better and better with him the older he got.

Still, with assholes like the mayor aside and even well-meaning humans like Frank, Genis still struggled to square the particular circle of his resentment for his father's race with being in love (or in "love") with a human woman, but it was not a particularly unpleasant struggle for him: The fantasy of a falling-out with Frank almost coming to blows and night after night, stealing into his daughter's bedroom window as her forbidden lover. (" _Father and Grandmother are away in Triet...."_ went a common, seductive refrain from fantasy Colette. _"Won't you come keep me company, Genis?...")_

Or alternatively, another, even more brazen favorite fantasy of the young man was he and Colette breaking into the the mayor's vacant house one stormy night for shelter from the rain and...less-than-wholesome activities. ( _"I couldn't_ _think of a better way to celebrate our love, my handsome hero..."_ this fantasy Colette would tempt him, lounging alluringly on the marital bed. _"Come, take me right here! If you like, I could even pretend to be the mayor's daughter...")_

As nice as these fantasies were for the mind of a teenage boy, still for Genis, nothing could compare to the real thing. Her smile, her touch, her gentle kindness, her unassuming-but-damn-near-otherworldly beauty, all were more always somehow even more radiant when he experienced them firsthand.

"But Colette, now that you mention it, I actually kind of feel the same." he confessed gingerly. "Even if I hate what they are- what Mithos did to these people and how much pain both he and the crystal put you through, even though it sounds selfish, I'm actually a little... relieved too."

Colette gave a serene, knowing smile. "What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"With Raine and me being like- well, we are, the thing that scares me more than anything is that I'd have to lose all of you, Lloyd and all the others someday. But Colette, you're the one I'd feared losing the most of all."

"Really now!..."

 _Oh, crap, that tone! I've done it now,_ Genis thought anxiously, awaiting a slap or some other unambiguous gesture of rejection. Instead, Colette did something he did not expect at all; cuddling even closer to him, Colette turned to face the (now of more-or-less equal height) young man and gazed longingly into his eyes. To Genis' surprise, his lips very abruptly met hers, returning the gesture and holding it for several seconds before she broke it off.

"Why- How- When-" stammered a very red-faced Genis.

Colette giggled. "Well, a dear, clumsy friend of ours told me the first thing I had to do was to stop being so coy." she answered with a grin. "Looks like it worked!"

"Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled, but Colette, are you absolutely sure? I mean, we both know that most people aren't going to be understanding about this like Lloyd would or even Raine. It's not going to be easy at all."

"But speaking of Lloyd, since when has anything worth doing ever been easy?"

"Be honest with me, Colette: Even if you had ever pictured us together, you know, as a man and woman, didn't it ever give you pause that I'm, you know-"

The erstwhile Chosen interrupted Genis with another sudden, brazen peck on the lips. "What, that your mother just so happens to be an elf?" she inquired, an ever-so-slight hint of offense in her response. "It's just like we told you and the Professor, we- I don't see that!"

"Really?" replied Genis, his tone raised slightly. "Then what do you see?"

"A kind, brilliant, courageous, handsome young man who I've come to love dearly and would love nothing more than to spend the rest of our lives enjoying this new world of ours, no matter what anyone says about us. Who just so happens to be a half-elf."

 

Almost as if she were aware on some level of many of his thoughts about her, Colette gave a not entirely-innocent smirk, lovingly placing her hands behind his neck as she took in his eyes. "Who knows?" she resumed. "He's got a bit of growing up to do, but someday, I know that young man will be a wonderful father to my children."

Genis returned the expression, his rendition being somewhat more awkward, crossing his legs as such. "I'd-I'd love that too, Col-Colette." he replied "In fact, that re-reminds me about-"

"Genis, just shut up and kiss me."

Genis had never been one to be entirely comfortable taking commands, even from Raine, but who was he to deny second-best suggestion made all night? At least, until Dirk inevitably chased them from his veranda.

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't think I needed to interpret Genis' dreams to my readers much. I spelled them out pretty blatantly and about the last part, come on: He's a teenage boy dreaming about his crush, what else does it mean? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> Funny thing about the tag "Interracial by Fantasy Standards," going purely off of the names, I surmised that pretty early that Colette is supposed to be French and Genis and Raine are supposed to be French/Alastian as well, but this would be considered IR in their world as human/half-elf.
> 
> But the other one mentioned briefly (I have a headcanon I can't shake that Sheena's mom was supposed to be Scottish/Irish and that "Sheena" is her maternal grandmother's name, with her actual one being Japanese), with a (supposedly) Welsh/Scottish/Ancient Greek guy and an (obviously Japanese) Eurasian girl, is not.
> 
> It's pretty arbitrary, but racial definitions can often be.


End file.
